Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series is about as mainstream video games in existence. Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The persistent pandemonium around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokémon news stories. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with owning a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, there's a live stream focused on running the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With numerous core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
